The electric scooter scene is growing but mainly at the bottom end of the market. That’s about to change with BMW Motorrad set to launch an offering that’s built for more than just urban tooling.
The firm’s new BMW CE 04 is coming, a fully electric maxiscooter that’s roughly equivalent in power to a 400cc ICE powered machine, hence the name. Styling features an extended wheelbase aimed at stability and comfort, while it’s narrow enough to make lane-splitting a doddle.
Designed mainly for town riding, the CE 04 is said to generate peak power of 31kW, offering a restricted top speed of 120km/h, which is more than enough for commutes involving the motorway. With an 8.9kWh battery, range is said to be around 130km.
A 0-80 per cent fast charge evidently takes about an hour while using the standard home charger with the bike a recharge takes around 4.4 hours. Regenerative braking is standard and adjustable.
It’s not too shabby on the acceleration front either, managing a 0-50 time of 2.6sec. Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW AG, said “The BMW CE 04 is our new electric star for the city…combining an e-drive with emotion and motorcycling fun.” He added “Just like the CE 04, all future new BMW Motorrad models for urban mobility will be pure electric.”
New Zealand Brand Manager, Dennis Holland, said that the CE 04 is a key part of BMW Motorrad’s electromobility strategy for urban environments. A special feature is the strong motor (15kW nominal, 31kW peak) and decent range thanks to a battery that utilises iX cell technology. The pack itself is carried low and is air cooled. Above this is a side-opening storage compartment for a helmet, accessible without the rider dismounting.
Other special features include a TFT colour screen with integrated map navigation and full connectivity, belt final drive and several riding modes (Eco, Road and Rain). There’s a reverse gear to help with manoeuvring too. Stability and traction control are both standard fit as are tyre pressure monitoring, ABS Pro with banking capability, and an adaptive LED headlight (turns into bends). There’s also a mobile phone charging compartment with a USB-C charge port.
Pricing for the CE 04 is set at $28,490 + ORC. Order now and your CE 04 should be here by October 2023. There will likely be further CE additions in time, with CE 02 and CE 06 mooted.
The above is a custom version, modified by Austrian firm Vagabund. It includes mounts on the right side for a surf board.
